The Friday email: 25 April 2025

Protect Education NOW: UCU national rally in London, Saturday 10 May

Post-16 education is in crisis. It is our duty to bring together UCU members, workers from across the trade union movement, students, supporters, and activists to fight back against cuts, attacks in the media, financial mismanagement, and the erosion of professional pride.

We have two weeks to go until the national rally that will take place on Saturday 10 May in Central London for us to all come together like never before.

Whether you work, study, or want to actively support higher education, further education, prison education, or adult and community education--please join us on Saturday 10 May so we can stand united calling on the Labour government, employers, and public bodies to urgently invest and change their approach.

The countdown begins now, and you can play your part by:

• letting us know that you are intending to come (you are not required to fill out this form to come but doing so will help with the planning work done by UCU staff)
• downloading our materials from the Protect Education NOW webpage
• changing your social media profile picture in solidarity
• spreading the word among colleagues and friends.

On Saturday 10 May, we will meet at Bessborough Gardens, just off Millbank in Central London at 13:00, and will then march to Old Palace Yard, opposite the House of Parliament for speeches and rally cries from special guests and supporters from 14:00 to 16:00.

With so much at stake this is sure to be an important and special day--make sure you are part of it!

UCU declares academic boycott of Brunel University over mass redundancies

UCU has declared an academic boycott of Brunel University London in response to the institution's continued pursuit of mass redundancies.

Brunel is pressing ahead with plans to impose further compulsory job cuts. UCU believes that the future of entire academic departments are under threat. The union has condemned the university's refusal to engage meaningfully with staff representatives.

The elected representatives on UCU's higher education committee (HEC) has unanimously backed the boycott, also known as 'greylisting', which is the most serious sanction the union can impose.

The boycott has begun on Tuesday 15 April 2025, unless the university withdraws the threat of compulsory redundancies, provides transparent financial information, enters collective conciliation talks through Acas, and reinstates those already involuntarily dismissed.

UCU is asking members, supporters, and the international academic community to observe the boycott by:

• not applying for jobs at Brunel
• not attending or organising academic or other conferences at the university
• not giving talks or lectures at Brunel
• not accepting visiting appointments at Brunel
• not contributing to academic journals edited at or produced by the university
• not taking on roles as external examiners for Brunel's taught courses.

Stop the Cuts: Education Committee session on HE funding

UCU general secretary Jo Grady gave oral evidence at the Education Committee's session 'Higher education and funding', chaired by Helen Hayes, Member of Parliament for Dulwich and West Norwood, on Tuesday 8 April. You can watch highlights from UCU's contributions on YouTube, watch the full recording of the Education Committee session on parliamentlive.tv, or read the full transcript here.

It is vital that we build upon this support from MPs for our Stop the Cuts: Fund Higher Education NOW! campaign, and continue to make our demand for urgent intervention to address the crisis in higher education heard.

We are also asking everyone to continue to sign and share UCU's Stop the Cuts petition.

Industrial action and ballots at UK universities

Last week, Birmingham City University (BCU) members voted to take strike action in a dispute over job cuts and performance targets. On a turnout of 57%, 68% of UCU members backed strike action and 88% backed action short of a strike (ASOS). We are expecting ballot results from University of Kent imminently.

Keele University UCU members also voted to take strike action earlier, in a dispute over the employer's plans to make £2.25m staffing cuts in the humanities, social sciences and business. Strike action is now set to take place on Monday 28 April, Tuesday 29 April, Thursday 1 May, Tuesday 6 May and Thursday 8 May.

Newcastle University UCU branch has declared an additional 21 days of strike action, starting from Monday 28 April. Newcastle UCU members had already been on strike for 14 days in a dispute over job cuts and redundancies.

Durham University UCU branch has called for five days of strike action, also starting from Monday 28 April in their dispute over management's plan to cut £20m in staff costs and refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. 

University of Sheffield UCU members will take part in one day of strike action on Wednesday 30 April, followed by a nine-day walkout from Tuesday 6 May until Friday 16 May if management fails to address the branch's demands.

Cardiff University UCU have given notice of a marking and assessment boycott (MAB) that will start on 6 May, with a number of strike days (1 May; 6 May; 9 June; 23-27 June) that target exam boards and other key dates.

Meanwhile, a strike ballot opened at University of Edinburgh on Monday 7 April in a dispute over management's threats of £140m of cuts and failure to rule out compulsory redundancies. A strike ballot also opened on Wednesday 16 April at University of Bradford over plans to axe at least 300 jobs that will see chemistry and film and television courses shut down.

Finally, please support the following branches where UCU members in higher education are also continuing to defend jobs and education, for example: Bangor, Bedfordshire, Bournemouth, Canterbury Christ Church, Cardiff Met, Dundee, Kingston, Lincoln, UEA, Sheffield Hallam.

UCU members in Northern Ireland FE colleges vote to take strike action

Following broken promises by the Minister for the Economy, and the employers' inaction over workload, lecturers in NI colleges voted for industrial action. In a resounding result 98% voted for ASOS and 90% for strike action. ASOS has begun from Friday 11 April to include the following:

• Withholding assessment and exam marks from College systems and Awarding Bodies (EBS Markbook, Canvas or Other). Assessment and feedback to students will continue but marks will not be entered onto college systems or provided to Awarding Bodies
• Withdrawal of goodwill
• Working to contract
• No overtime
• Refusal to engage in Additional Duties outside of those quantified in the agreed programme of work and/or local agreement
• Continuous non-cooperation with ETI inspections
• Continuous non-use of the EBS system, registers will be maintained in other formats.

New Deal for FE: pay claim 2025-26

UCU has reached agreement with the other further education trade unions (GMB, NEU, Unite and Unison) on the Joint FE trade unions' pay claim (2025/26) and it has been submitted to the Association of Colleges (AoC). You can click here to read the full claim here.

The claim is built on the core demands in the New Deal for FE campaign:

• FE pay parity with schoolteachers' pay
• national workload agreements
• a new binding national bargaining framework.

We will provide further updates on negotiations as they come through.

Coventry University: sign the petition!

Coventry University staff and students have been protesting against the fire and rehire cost cutting exercise that vice-chancellor John Latham has embarked upon. You can continue to help Coventry UCU's campaign by signing the petition demanding Latham's removal from his government appointed non-executive post on the board of the Department for Business and Trade. The petition now has over 4,000 signatures, and you can add yours here.

Stop redundancies at the University of Derby: sign the petition!

Like many UCU branches, Derby University is going through mass redundancies following a voluntary scheme. The first target are the professorial and associate professorial grades. The entire group were put at risk but the university have now changed this to 35. This is still a near 50% cull of those grades. UCU remains in consultation but the branch have set up a petition, and you can add your signature here.

UCU Congress and sector conferences 2025

The union's supreme policy-making body is its annual Congress, which is taking place in Liverpool from Saturday 24 to Monday 26 May. Please note that this year's Congress is in a hybrid format, so delegates could attend in-person or online. The deadline for the registration of delegates is now closed.

Congress includes separate annual meetings of UCU's further and higher education sector conferences, where policies particular to those areas are decided. You can click here for more information and motions to be debated will also be available on that page.

Academic-related, professional services staff open meeting

The academic-related professional services staff (ARPS) committee will be holding the next open meeting on Friday 9 May (12:30-13:30). ARPS members are invited to join the meeting to talk about the issues affecting you and your branches currently. The format is open and friendly and all ARPS members are welcome. Please register for the meeting using this online form and a Zoom link will be sent to you on the morning of the meeting.

UCU statement on equality and inclusion 

Following the recent Supreme Court ruling, UCU reaffirms our commitment to equality and inclusion. We stand in full solidarity with our trans members and will continue to campaign for inclusive workplaces where everyone's rights, safety, and dignity are respected. Read our full position and find support resources.

Supporting members' wellbeing amid cuts and workload pressures

The ongoing crisis in higher education--job losses, cuts and course closures--is having a devastating impact on our members. Across both HE and FE, increasing workload pressures are taking a serious toll on mental health and wellbeing.

We know that many members are struggling, and it is vital they have access to the support they need. Education Support is the only UK charity dedicated to the mental health and wellbeing of teachers, lecturers and education staff across schools, colleges and universities.

They offer confidential, 24/7 support, 365 days a year, including a free helpline, counselling services and financial assistance. Click here for more information or to access support.

Campaigning against Reform UK 

On Saturday 26 April, the final Saturday before the local elections, there will be nationwide leafleting and local activity to stop Reform UK. Check the latest updates and sign up for action here.